Jump Start # 1050

Mark 12:43 “Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury”

  In our Jump Start yesterday, we saw where the faith of the Syrophoencian woman impressed Jesus. She was persistent in seeking help for her demon possessed daughter. Today, we find another person, another situation, whose faith caught the eye of the Lord.

Jesus is in Jerusalem. Most believe this event happened on Tuesday of the final week. The crucifixion would take place on Friday. Jesus is in the Temple teaching. The section above, Jesus warned about the arrogance, abuse and shallow faith of the scribes. One of the things the scribes did was to “devour widows homes.” As this warning ends, Jesus, sitting at the gate between the court of the Gentiles and the Court of the women, started watching people put money into the temple treasury. Back then, everyone had coins. There were no checks that people folded in half before they gave, as we do in church. There were no dollar bills. Coins was it. There were a series of containers that people could place their coins in. Jesus watches.

The rich put in a lot. The rich, possibly some of the scribes Jesus just warned about, pour their many coins into the container. It may have been a show. Then a poor widow comes. Jesus had just warned about the scribes taking advantage of many of the widows. Jesus watches. She puts in two cooper coins, called, “Lepton,” which means “thin one.” We have the expression, “One thin dime.” This is the only Jewish coin named in the New Testament. It wasn’t worth much. Mark, writing to Roman Christians, states “a cent.” It was about 1/32 of a days wage. It would be the pay for a few minutes of work.

Jesus called the disciples over. He wanted them to see something. Our verse is what Jesus said to the disciples. She put in more than the contributors, Jesus said. The rich gave out of their surplus, the poor widow gave out of her poverty, all that she owned, all that she had to live on.  That’s the end of Jesus’ statement. He didn’t add any more thoughts to that. He didn’t say, I wish you would do the same. He didn’t say that this is the model for giving.

There are a few things we learn here:

First, Jesus saw things that others could not. He knew the financial condition of the rich. He knew that they were giving out of the surplus, and the widow gave all that she had. No one would know that other than God. He knows our situation when we give. He knows how much we have stock piled, saved, invested, stored away, spent and wasted. He knows. No one else does, but Jesus does.

Second, this widow, without saying any words, was demonstrating great faith and trust in God. If she gave all that she had to live on, how was she going to survive? How would she buy food? How would she make it? Trust in God. Her presence in the temple, and her giving all that she had to the temple treasury, demonstrated a great love and belief in God. She put her life in the hands of God. She didn’t toot her trumpet, make a scene or brag about how much she gave. She simply did it in silence. This was a true act of worship and sacrifice. What she gave wouldn’t pay the light bill, but her faith is what would keep the temple going. That touched Jesus. It made Him point this out to the disciples. Don’t be impressed with numbers, be impressed with faith.

We do well to be impressed by that ourselves. Like the scribes, like the disciples, we can get caught up in numbers. Every time I go out of town to preach, one of the first things I’m asked is, “How large is the church where you preach?” Why does that matter? No one ever asks, “How strong is the church?” or, “How faithful is the church?” We like numbers. How many came? How much was contributed? How many saved? It’s like we are gathering stats as we do for a ballgame. The higher the numbers, the better, is how we think. More people, more leaders, more deacons, more money, typically means you are doing well. More is better. We’re stuck on those things. We like those things. Until we face this poor, pitiful widow who put in a penny. One penny. Anymore, I don’t even stop and pick up a penny on the street. Most convenience stores have a few pennies that they allow you to use for free to even out what you owe. A penny tip is an insult. Having a net worth in the pennies, will give a person a terrible credit rating. Years ago, some wore penny loafers. I knew a kid that put dimes in his penny loafers. Back then, a person could make a phone call for a dime. Couldn’t do much with a penny. She was worth a penny and that is what she gave.

I’m impressed that she was at the temple and she gave. The flow of the context makes it seem that she followed the rich in giving. Maybe she stood in line behind them. She could have felt inferior. She could have given up on God. She could have thought her poverty was His fault or His punishment. But there she is. In the temple, behind the rich, giving what she could. Jesus loved her for that. Jesus was impressed.

He didn’t marvel at the huge amounts that the rich were giving. They could have gave more. They weren’t even bothered by what they gave. They had a ton more. It’s the widow, giving in her poverty that showed true faith in God.

God notices what we give. God knows what we own. God knows what owns us. God is more aware of our faith. When a person gives, whether it’s to church, the cancer society, the humane society, a political party, they are saying:

1. I believe in you. We tend to put our money behind what we believe in. There is the old story of a family driving home after church services. The mom and dad were complaining about this and that. The little boy in the back seat, hearing all this, and realizing that his dad only put a dollar in the collection plate, blurted out, “I thought it was all pretty good for just a buck.”

2. I want this to continue. Everything takes money. It did back then, it does today. The generous contribution of the members where I attend help make it possible for us to send out these Jump Starts and to produce the Jump Start books. When you give, you are saying, ‘Keep it going.’

3. I want this to grow. Expansion involves money. Whether it’s building a facility, sending preachers, printing materials—to get the word out into new areas involves money. Our giving allows the congregation to do just that. The amount of money available determines whether or not a church can do things.

Have you taken a serious look at your giving? How do you determine what to contribute? Is this faith based? Can this widow teach you a few things?

This widow in Mark 12 gave. Jesus noticed. He was impressed.

Faith always impresses Jesus.

Roger